It's
the winter that will not quit. After weekend ice and snow, low
temperatures this morning were in the single digits. Salt supplies
dwindle. Street surfaces fall apart. Government agencies' overtime
budgets are out of control.

And
some businesses are suffering from a steep
drop-off in business. Restaurants and taverns are among those hardest
hit, as people choose simply to stay inside. Retailers are turning away
customers looking for gloves, salt and shovels, while spring clothing
and planter kits sit, ignored.

Sad
to say, the latest long-range forecasts do not show a lot of promise.
The National Weather Service 10-14 day outlook for the region calls basically for more of
the same: below average temperatures and above average precipitation.

The average high for early March is in the upper 40s to near 50. We may reach those average temperatures by Saturday.